Missile loading system



1961 R. E. CARLBERG ET AL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 7, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 gul IN VENTORS [ni 1' Robert E. Corlberg Sidney Hersh V mg m ATTORNEYS Aug. 1,' 1961 R. E. CARLBERG ET AL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 7, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. Corlberg Sidney Hersh BY fi/wnvzk 3 7 2 L XTORNEYS g- 1961 R. E-.- CARLBERG ETAL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1955 INVENTORS Robert E Corlberg SIdney Hersh 4w I $6M ATTORNEYS Aug. 1, 1961 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 7, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR/ Robert E. Curlberg SIdney Hersh ATTORNEYS R. E. CARLBERG ET AL 2,994,248

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Aug. 1, 1961 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1953 m m m V m Robert E. 'Corlberg Sidney Hersh BY v . ATTORNEYS A 1951 R. E. CARLBERG ETA'L 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 7, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 5 INVENTORS Robert E.Corlberg Sidney Hersh Aug. 1, 1961 RE. CARLBERG ETAL MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Original F iled Oct. 7, 195a 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS Robert E. Corlberg Sidney Hersh ATTORNEY S Aug. 1, 1961 R. E. CARLBERG ET AL 2,994,248

MISSILE LOADING SYSTEM Orizinal Filed Oct. 7, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS Robert E. Corlberg Sidney Hersh [4w BY 4 ATTORNEYS 3 Claims. (Cl. 89-13) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This application is a division of the copending application of Robert E. Carlberg and Sidney Hersh for Missile Launching System, Serial No. 384,801, filed on October 7, 1953.

The present invention relates to missile loading systerns and more particularly to that type which is adapted for and may be used on shipboard and associated with a three-axis stabilized launcher. However, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than on shipboard such as at stationary launcher sites. The loading system of the present invention is particularly suitable for the loading of guided missiles, rocket and similar self-powered devices.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of this invention to provide a missile loading system particularly adapted for shipboard use in loading a guided missile of the foldable wing type and which may be powered by a pulse jet motor, if so desired.

A further object is to provide a loading system which may be remotely controlled by conventional gun control or fire director means.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a missile loading system which may be conveniently operated by shipboard personnel within a protective structure while the ship is under fire.

A further object is the provision of a missile loading system which normally supports the missiles prior to loading at a convenient height for operating personnel to make prefiight inspections, adjustments and repairs.

A still further object resides in the provision of a missile loading system which is enclosed within the structure of the ship and, at the same time, is so positioned as to require no lifting of the missile during loading operation.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a missile loading system wherein the launcher and loader are positioned in longitudinal engaging alignment with one another when it is desired to transfer a missile from the loading system to its loaded position on the launcher.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a sideperspective view of a missile launching system embodying the missile loading system in accordance with the present invention with the launcher and loader thereof in a position whereby a missilemay be transferred from the loader to the launcher;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the launcher disclosed in FIG. 1 in an elevated and partially rotated position with a missile on the launching rails and a threequarter perspective viewof the remainder of the system with a second missile positioned on the loading mocha, nismof the present invention in a ready position to be rammed onto the launcher after the missile on the launching rails has been fired and the launcher has returned to the'position indicated in FIG. 1;

2,994,248 Patented Aug. 1, 1961 FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the missile launching system of FIG. I mounted upon the deck of a vessel;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the loading system of the present invention and an associated ramming mechanism with a missile secured thereto for loading onto a launcher;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the loading system and a portion of the rammer of FIG. 4, one missile being illustrated in phantom in the ready-service position on the loading mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the loading system with two missiles positioned thereon;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the loading system and ramming mechanism of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the loading system of the present invention and ramming mechanism of FIG. 4 with the shuttle car buffer stop removed and certain'portions of the supporting structure broken away to better disclose the several portions of the loading system;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged end view of one of the shuttle car supporting rails and the shuttle car rollers which cooperate therewith;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged end view of the other shuttle car supporting rail; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic showing of the shuttle car and rammer chain actuating mechanisms.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 wherein the various components and mechanisms of a missile launching system are illustrated in a manner to indicate the cooperating relationship therebetween and the loading system of the present invention it will be observed that the system includes a three-axis stabilized launcher 10, the loading system 11, a ramming mechanism 12, and an assembly stand 13, each of which will now be described generally in order to facilitate a clear understanding of the detailed description of the loading system appearing hereinafter.

The launcher 10 is a power driven remotely controlled mount having the launching rails 14 stabilized so as to maintain a fixed attitude with respect to the horizon in elevation and cross traverse as will becomemore fully apparent as the description proceeds. The launcher 10 is muzzle loaded by the power driven, manually controlled, horizontal ramming mechanisms 12. The power controlled ramming mechanism 12 includes a unidirectional chain 15 with a ramming head assembly 16 connected thereto for engagement with the lower rear launching shoe or lug member 17 of each missile to be transferred from the loader to the launcher or vice "ersa. Rammer chain 15 is guided through a housing and over a sprocket 114 which is mechanically connected to a suitable gear reduction unit 120, the latter being hydraulically connected to power drive 101 in any suitable manner such, for example, as shown on FIG. 11. Thus by this arrangement, it will be understood that upon rotation of the sprocket 114 by way of the aforesaid connections and in response to operation of the power drive 101, the chain 15 and rammer head 16 carried thereby moves toward the launcher 1t? whereupon the missile by reason of the lowermost shoe 17 inengagement with the head 16 moves the missile from the loading mechanism 11 onto the launching mechanism 10. A spanner rail 18 for spanning the distance between the loading mechanism 11 and the launcher 10 is secured to the trainable portion of the launcher.

The loading mechanism 11 of the present invention includes a rigid structure 19, fiixedly secured to a suitable foundation 21 provided upon deck 22 of a ship 23. The loading mechanism .11 furtherincludes a shuttle car 24- which is power driven by apparatus to be later described and which is adapted to carry a plurality of missiles M2 and M3; two being shown in the drawings for purposes I of description. One of the two missiles which are carried by shuttle car 24 will always be aligned with the launcher loading position, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. The shuttle car 24 is mounted upon suitable transverse guide rails 25 and 26 so as to permit oscillation of shuttle .car 24 athwartship.

The assembly stand 13 is rigidly secured to foundation 21, to provide a structure upon which the missile components may be assembled after being removed from the shipping crates. After assembly'of the missile on assembly stand 13, the missile is checked out for satisfactory operation and moved by any suitable means such, for example, as by overhead trolley (not shown) onto shuttle car 24 on the loading mechanism.

All components and mechanisms of the missile launching system with the exception of the launcher are enclosed within a suitable housing 27, as last shown in dashedoutline, FIG. 3, and having sliding doors 28 which, when open, provide an opening 20 or travel space for a missile at the launching position to move from the loading system 11 onto the spanner rail 18 and the launcher at the appropriate time. Sliding doors 28 are normally closed except during transfer of a missile from the loading system to the launcher.

It will be apparent that in the event the missile launching system is mounted on the forward portion of a ship, the loading mechanism, the ramming mechanism, and the assembly stand will all be secured to the deck of the vessel aft of the launcher. On the other hand, in the event the system is mounted on the aft portion of the vessel, the afore-mentioned components other than the launcher will be secured to the deck of the vessel forward of the launcher. Obviously any other suitable arrangement of the various components of the system may be employed if so desired.

The various components and mechanisms included within the missile loading system will now be individually described in detail.

The rigid supporting structure 19 upon which shuttle car 24 is carried may be of any suitable construction desired commensurate with strength and space requirements. As previously mentioned a pair of transverse shuttle car guide rails 25 and 26 are mounted upon the upper portion ofsupporting structure 19. The left rail 25, as best viewed in FIGS. 8 and 9, is substantially Z-shaped and is provided with a horizontal base 79 by which it is secured to supporting structure 19. An upstanding wall portion 81 is integrally formed with the outboard edge of base 79, and a horizontal flange 82 extends in a direction opposite to that of base 79. The undersurface of flange 82 is chamfered as at 83 to provide an inclined rolling surface for roller 84. It will be observed that roller 84 is carried by undercarriage 85 of shuttle car 24 at an inclination corresponding to that of chamfered surface 83 and thereby prevents undesired separation of the shuttle car from the supporting structure. Vertically suspended rollers 86 are also carried by undercarriage 85 of the shuttle car and engage the inner surface of wall member 81 to thereby prevent transverse movement of the shuttle car relative to rails 25 and 26. A third group of rollers 87 is provided and constrained by suitable means, not shown, within recess 88 of undercarriage 85 to ride upon the upper surface of the horizontal flange 82 of rail 25 to thereby facilitate movement of the shuttle car therealong.

The other shuttle car supporting rail 26 is an inverte L-shaped channel member secured in any suitable fashion as by welding to the upper portion of supporting structure 19 and transversely spaced from rail 25 as viewed in FIGS. 8 and 10. A depending bracket 88a is provided with horizontally and vertically disposed rollers 89 and 91, respectively. Rollers 89 and 91 are rotatably mounted within recesses 92 and 93, respectively. It will be observed from an inspection of FIGS. 8 and 10 that roller 89 rides upon the upper surface of rail 26 and roller 91 rides upon edge 94 of rail 26 to thereby complete the connection between the shuttle car and the supporting structure therefor and thereby restrain movement of the shuttle car in all directions except in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the launcher 10 when the latter is in loading position.

The shuttle car 24 is a frame structure carrying two groups of missile supporting rails 95 and 96 having a pair of rails 97 and 98 in each set and arranged transversely to the direction of travel of the shuttle car. Rails 97 and 98 are positioned and arranged in a manner substantially identical to that of rails 36 and 37 of the launcher so that when the launcher is in loading position, FIG. 1, the two rails 97 and 98 of one set of rails carried by shuttle car 24 will be in longitudinal alignment with the rails 36 and 37 of the launcher. The launcher carries an additional rail 38 in alignment with the spanner rail 18 when the launcher is in a loading position, as more clearly shown on FIG. 1 and, as shown on FIG. 2, moves with respect to rail 18 when the launcher is elevated to a firing position. A missile such, for example, as missile M2 or M3 is carried by each of the two sets of rails on the shuttle car 24. The shuttle car is power operated by motor 101 suitably connected to pinion 102 which engages rack 103 carried by the shuttle car. FIG. 11 discloses in schematic form the manner in which motor 101 may serve as the power drive for the shuttle car, rammer, and door opening and closing operations. It will be noted that certain elements illustrated in FIG. 11 have been reversed as to location when considered in connection with the other figures. This has been done for ease of illustration and in no manner aflects the operation of the system.

Shaft of electric motor 101 serves to rotate wobbleplate and thereby produce a pumping action within pump which is connected to a source of hydraulic fluid, not shown. Thus fluid is pumped through lines and via valves 144 and 145, respectively, to the hydraulic side of a Wobble plate 147 within housing 146 to thereby convert hydraulic pressure into rotary motion in either direction depending upon which valve is first actuated by solenoids 148 and 149. Pinion 102is mechanically connected to the wobble plate 147 and i rotated in response to the aforementioned hydraulic actuation of the wobble plate. Rack 103 being meshed with pinion 102, is moved linearly in response to rotation of may be caused to travel in an oscillating, athwartship motion to thereby orient either missile M2 or M3 with the rammer 12 and enable the latter to ram the aligned missile onto the launcher. Sliding rail sections 105, as best shown on FIG. 5, permit missiles to be lowered onto shuttle car 24 from above, one of these rails being aligned with each rail 97 and 98 and an additional rail 105 being centrally disposed between each group of rails 95 and 96. The shuttle car 24 is automatically latched by a latching mechanism of any suitable design at each position in which a set of rails are in longitudinal alignment with the launcher rails when the launcher is in the loading position.

Sliding doors 28 are controlled by lever 104 which is also employed for controlling the motion of shuttle car 24 as aforementioned, a selector switch 107 adjacent the lever being used to select between shuttle car operation and door operation. Switch 107 is electrically connected to solenoids 148 and 149 in any manner found convenient for the purpose to thereby energize these solenoids and move valves 144 and'145 to such a position as to allow pressurized fluid to pass into and out of cylinder 150 through hydraulic lines 161 and 162, respectively. Thus, it will be apparent that doors 28 may be either,

opened or closed, as desired, by the proper actuation of solenoids 14-8 and 149 by selector switch 107.

A manual connect and automatic disconnect electrical plug (not shown) may be provided for check out and warm up of electrical components within the missile. Thus it vgill be apparent that as shuttle car 24 is moved froma shuttled position to a loading position, the missile to be loaded is moved from a ready-service position to -a ramming position.

In order to provide a continuous track upon which the missile will ride during the loading operation, a short track section, generally designated 109, is connected to the rigid supporting structure 19 and suitably reinforced for additional strength by any means found desirable for the purpose such, for example, as by a supporting column 111, the track section 109 including a pair of rails 112 and a rail 9 centrally disposed between rail 112. Rails 112 of track section 109 are disposed in alignment with the aforementioned opening 20 in housing 27 and with rails 97 and 98 on the loading mechanism and with rails 36 and 37 on the launching mechanism during a missile loading operation, FIG. 1. In this position the rail W is in alignment with the rail 105 centrally disposed between rails 97.and 98 and with rails 18 and 38 on the launcher 10.

Buffer stops 113 are positioned at each end of each of the rails 25 and 216 so that a positive stop is provided for the shuttle car at each limit of its movement.

Missile loading system is provided and carries a shuttle car which is power operated under manual control and mounted on tracks transverse to the longitudinal axis of a missile launcher when the latter is in loading position. The shuttle car is constructed so as to be capable of carrying a plurality of missiles, one of which will always be aligned longitudinally with the launcher loading position.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A loading mechanism for moving missiles to a predetermined position for muzzle loading onto a rotatably mounted missile launcher adapted to be rotated from a loading position to a firing position and carrying missile launching rails, the mechanism comprising a shuttle car movable between an initial position and a missile loading position, a shuttle car supporting structure, supporting rails secured to said supporting structure transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the launcher when the latter is in loading position, a plurality of rollers carried by said shuttle car, said rollers cooperatively engaging said supporting rails for facilitating movement of said shuttle car along the supporting rails and for restraining the shuttle car against vertical displacement relative to said supporting rails, a geared rack carried by said shuttle car, a pinion in driving engagement with said rack for eifecting oscillatory movement of the shuttle car along said supporting rails transversely to said longitudinal axis in response to actuation of said pinion in alternate directions, a plurality of groups of missile carrying rails mounted upon said shuttle car and in parallel relation to said longitudinal axis, at least one group of said missile carrying rails being in longitudinal alignment with loading and launching rails of the launcher when the launcher and shuttle car are in the loading positions, a sliding rail section on each of said missile carrying rails in engagement with complementary lug members on a missile and carried by the shuttle car for preventing vertical movement thereof relative to the shuttle car while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, and a plurality of stationary rammer guide rails rigidly secured to said supporting structure and in individual longitudinal alignment with corresponding ones of said missile carrying rails of the shuttle car when the latter is in loading position.

2. A loading mechanism for muzzle loading a missile onto a rotatably mounted launcher movable between a loading position and a firing position and carrying missile launching rails, the mechanism comprising a shuttle car mounted for transverse movement between an initial position and a missile loading position, a shuttle car supporting structure, means including a pinion carried by said supporting structure in engagement with said shuttle car for imparting transverse movement to the car, a plurality of groups of missile carrying rails mounted upon said shuttle car at least one group of which is in longitudinal alignment with the launching rails of the launcher when the launcher and shuttle car are in the loading position, power controlled ramming means carried by said supporting structure within one group of said missile carrying rails in engagement with the missile when the car is in said missile loading position for muzzle loading the missile onto said launching rails, and means including a power drive operatively connected to said ramming means for operating said ramming means.

3. A loading mechanism for muzzle loading a missile onto a rotatably mounted launcher movable between a loading position and a firing position and carrying missile launching rails, the mechanism comprising a shuttle car movable transversely between an initial position and a missile loading position, a shuttle car supporting structure, supporting rails secured to said supporting structure transversely to the longitudinal axis of the launcher when the car is in the loading position, a plurality of groups of missile carrying rails mounted upon said shuttle car and parallel with said longitudinal axis, at least one group of said missile carrying rails being in longitudinal alignment with loading and launching rails of the launcher when the launcher and shuttle car are in the loading position, power controlled ramming means carried by said supporting structure within one group of said missile carrying rails in engagement with the missile when the launcher and shuttle car are in said missile loading position for muzzle loading the missile onto the loading and launching rails of the launcher, means including a power drive operatively connected to said ramming means for operating the ramming means, a sliding rail section on each of said missile carrying rails, a complementary launching shoe in engagement with each of the missile carrying rails for preventing vertical displacement of the missile relative to the shuttle car and for permitting relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said shuttle car being carried upon said supporting rails for oscillatory movement transverse to said longitudinal axis of the launcher, and means for effecting such movement of the shuttle car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,825 Maul Apr. 19, 1904 895,481 Meigs Aug. 11, 1908 2,770,170 Franson Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 626,923 Great Britain July 22, 1949 

